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Vacuum Thermoforming of Optically Switchable Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Spherical Actuators
Lansong Yue1, Erik P J Ambergen1, Sean J D Lugger1
1Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials and Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|April 17, 2024
Summary
A new thermoplastic liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) can be vacuum thermoformed into 3D shapes like hemispheres. This scalable process enables reversible actuation and optical changes, opening doors for advanced LCE devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Actuator Technology
Background:
- Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuators are typically limited in shape and scalability.
- Current fabrication methods involve stretching and photopolymerization, restricting complex 3D forms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a thermoplastic LCE amenable to scalable, industrial manufacturing processes.
- To create intricate 3D-shaped LCE actuators with novel functionalities.
Main Methods:
- Vacuum thermoforming of thermoplastic LCE into centimeter-sized hemispheres.
- Induction of LCE alignment during thermoforming without postfixing.
- Computational simulations to analyze biaxial strains and alignment during processing.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated reversible, actuating LCE hemispheres with ~20% strain.
- Demonstrated reversible opaque-to-translucent optical transitions upon heating.
- Showcased the ability to combine hemispheres into spheres and deform/recover shape.
Conclusions:
- Thermoplastic LCEs can be effectively processed using industrial vacuum thermoforming for scalable 3D actuator fabrication.
- The developed hemispheres exhibit unique reversible physical and optical properties.
- Doping with functional dyes enables diverse applications, including light manipulation and responsive devices.
